Gutierrez Confident House Can Pass Citizenship Law

CHICAGO (WBBM) — Congressman Luis Gutierrez told an extremely spirited crowd of some 150 immigrants rights activists on Friday that he believes he’ll get a House vote next week on the “DREAM” citizenship act.

The bill would provide qualifying undocumented young people with a six-year path to citizenship, provided that they earn a college degree or serve two years in the military.

Gutierrez also told the crowd that he’ll personally give President Obama their petitions demanding an immediate end to deportation of non-criminal immigrants.

Gutierrez said there are sufficient votes to bring the DREAM act out of the Rules Committee and onto the House floor. He says there are 200 votes pledged out of 218 needed, and he believes it may well pass next week.

“We are confident that if we continue our work that we’ll get to the 218 votes,” Gutierrez said.

He stressed it’s important the House vote be held next week because in 2011 the power shifts to Republicans, who will be less inclined to support the measure.